Visions From Beyond - Portal To Inertia

Labels: Brutal Cave Productions/Dry Cough Records/Self-Released

Formats: CD/Tape/Digital

Release Date: 02 Jun 2023

Tracklist:

1. The Crossing

2. Portal To Inertia

3. Second Sight

4. Into Hell

Portal To Inertia is the second and latest EP to come from Bristolian (UK) death/doom entity Visions From Beyond (if you don't count the debut demo that is). It was released digitally by the band in June of last year, while at the same time seeing a CD release via Portuguese label Brutal Cave Productions, alongside a tape pressing from the ever-dependable UK death/doom label Dry Cough Records. I can't remember whether I've mentioned this before but the sole member of Visions From Beyond also forms part of grindcore trio Fetus Christ (and is also a member of new death metal band Ritual Execution, which has recently released it's first tape via Dry Cough).

It’s been a lot of fun tracking the trajectory of Visions From Beyond since the band’s 2021 demo Eternally Bound, Whipped By Time. Grabbing the latest EP Portal To Inertia last year and jamming it alongside other (Dry Cough approved) UK death/doom bands has been an absolute joy. It feels like it’s been an age but I feel it’s time to write about these four tracks properly. 

Starting with ‘The Crossing’, Visions From Beyond deliver raw and hellish death metal with a huge helping of funeral doom for good measure. There’s always a limitation to being a solo project but it doesn’t hold Visions From Beyond back at all here. Gnarly yet oddly cosmic extreme metal more than hints at what’s to come.

The EP’s title-track ‘Portal To Inertia’ is all blasts and mesmeric guitar work, coupled with disturbingly low guttural vocals. Additional progressive lead guitar flutters amongst the heaviness, providing something close to relief. ‘Second Sight’ delivers at a much slower tempo to begin with, as if it’s paying tribute to the early Dry Cough output of sickening doom/sludge. The instrumentation takes absolute control throughout the song’s four+ minute playing time, as the vocals resemble some kind of sporadically tortured beast from another realm.

Leaving the best till last, Visions From Beyond delivers a near eight-minute monolith called ‘Into Hell’, which is very aptly named. The bass guitar provides such a rumbling low-end that it’s hard for the rest of the instrumentation to keep up (which is a strange thing to say given the slowness), but you’ll get what I mean as you get deeper into it. Subtle vocals, exquisite percussion and whale song-like lead guitar textures call time on what is a harrowing yet euphoric body of work.

I’ve already written plenty of positive words about Visions From Beyond here and this EP proves why that’s the case. For me, it’s important to support and encourage bands that are starting out, looking to build an audience of their own. I can’t wait to continue following the journey and if you’re new to Visions From Beyond, get on board too.

You can stream and also buy Portal To Inertia on all three formats directly from Visions From Beyond below:-

Visions From Beyond - https://www.facebook.com/visionsfrombeyond.official

Physical copies are also available from the labels below:-

Brutal Cave Productions - https://brutalcaveproductions.bandcamp.com/album/portal-to-inertia

Dry Cough Records - https://www.drycoughrecords.com/product/visions-from-beyond-portal-to-inertia-cassette-dc71

Beutal Cave Productions - https://www.facebook.com/brutalcaveproductions

Dry Cough Records - https://www.facebook.com/DryCoughRecords